Sen. John Cornyn voices Senate GOP’s readiness to compromise

That’s what Texas Sen. John Cornyn says Senate Republicans will be looking for in upcoming compromises with Senate Democrats.

If the two parties can agree on a deal that resolves 80 percent of the differences on an issue, then senators should agree to set aside the 20 percent they can’t agree on, says Cornyn.

Cornyn, of San Antonio, outlined his approach to the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News in a telephone call shortly after being elected to the post of second-in-command of Senate Republicans.

As the Senate’s minority whip, Cornyn will corral Senate GOP votes on key issues and take a limelight role in describing GOP positions on issues.

Cornyn called the 80-20 approach a “pragmatic way” of approaching differences to come up with “what is doable.”

Last week’s presidential election left what Cornyn described as the status quo — a divided federal government with the White House and Senate controlled by Democrats and the House controlled by Republicans.

Cornyn said he interpreted the outcome of the election to mean that Americans “don’t trust either political party to have all the answers – they want us to compromise – not your principles but to compromise where you can.”